Shoe-shank stiffener



Jan. 4 1927. 1,613,401

J. F. MARSHALL SHOE SHANK STIFFENER' Filed Dec. 15, 1921' INVENTBH AT"? DHNEYE Patented Jan. 4, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. MARSHALL, F SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO J. J. GROVERS SONS COMPANY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE-SHANK STIFFENER.

Application filed December 13, 1921.

In many cases the bottom of the last to which the insole of a shoe is conformed during the lasting operation, has a substantially flat heel portion, and ashank portion of a winding form. In other words, the shank .portion is transversely inclined between the heel portion and the fore portion, the transverse inclination merging into the substantially flat or relatively horizontal heel portion, and gradually increasin so that the shank portion has its greatest transverse inclination at its forward extremity.

The object of the invention is to provide a shank stiffener which, when attached as usual to an insole, is adapted to conform aocurately to the winding portion of a last bottom, and facilitate the conformation of the shank portion of the insole, to the cone sponding portion of the last bottom.

The invention is embodied in the improved shank stiffener hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,-

Figure 1 is a face View of my improved shank stiffener.

Figure 2 is an edge view.

Figure 3 is an end view.

Figure 4 is a section on line 44; of F igure 1.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

The stiffener designated as a whole by the reference numeral 12, is made of sheet 33 metal, preferably tempered steel, and is shaped to conform to the heel portion and the longitudinally curved shank portion of a last bottom. The faces of the stiffener have substantially flat portions l3, 13, ex-

-1 tending from the heel end through a minor portion of the length of the stiffener, and transversely inclined portions l t, 14, merging into the portions 13, and extending to the forward end of the stiffener. The transverse inclination of the portions 14 gradually increases, or becomes gradually greater from the fiat portions 13 to the forward end,

Serial No. 521,978.

so that the major face portions of the stiffener are winding or twisted, and are higher at the inner longitudinal edge than at the outer edge, when the flat portions 13 are horizontal, as indicated by Figures 2 and 3. It will now be seen that the major side portions of the stiffener are adapted to conform to the winding shank portion of a last bottom, and to facilitate a like conformation of the shank portion of an insole to which the stiffener is attached, so that by the usual lastlng operation, the shank portion of the insole may be accurately conformed to the winding shank portion of the last bottom.

The upper face of the stiffener preferably has a slight reentrant longitudinal curvature 15, at its forward end portion.

The

usual holes 16 may be provided to receive fasteners securing the stiffener to an insole.

From the drawing it will be seen that the faces of the improved stiffener are of what may be termed a warped form, and that the face edges of any transverse section will be substantially straight lines. This structural difference distinguishes the fastener from generally similar shoe shank stiffening devices that have been heretofore proposed in which certain transverse sections present curved lines. I claim A shoe shank stiffener comprising an elongated piece of metal, longitudinally curved to conform to the bottom of a last and having parallel faces each provided at one end with a flat portion conforming to the heel seat of the last bottom and, in advance of said flat portion, with a transversely inclined por tion, the inclination of which increases gradually toward the forward end of the stiff ener, conforming to the winding portion of the bottom face of a last, the face edges of every transverse section of the fastener being substantially straight lines.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

JAMES F. MARSHALL. 

